Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

iNaturalist @inaturalist.bsky.social · 29d

'Tis the season to search for lumps on plants, aka galls! These growths are created in response to other organisms — often insects, fungi, or bacteria — injecting their chemicals into the plant. 🧵⤵️

Join the gall celebrations: tr.ee/ziMCEH

This gall looks like something you'd imagine a mythical fairy-like creature living in. It's shaped like a mushroom and has a small hole in the front.

The stem of a plant has a couple round growths with small holes in them.

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · Sep 9

Amazing undergradute, Andrew Desso, made a video game #myrmecochory quest! It has journal posts about organisms - native plants, Aphaenogaster #ants, an invasive slug, and obstacles to successful seed dispersal. @binghamtonu.bsky.social @harpurcollege.bsky.social priorlab.itch.io/myrmecochory...

Myrmecochory Quest by PriorLab

Play in your browser

priorlab.itch.io

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · Aug 28

This was a fun collaboration, led by Guerin Brown @guerin-brown.bsky.social in the Forbes Lab @lordforbington.bsky.social - our teams found European parasitoids emerged from North American oak gall wasp species in western and eastern North America, which were likely separate introductions.

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Jun 17

My latest for American Scientist Magazine helps give scientists the tools to fight back against politicized charges that our research is silly or pointless- tools that will work whether you’re asked “why are we funding this” from your asshole uncle at Thanksgiving or an asshole US Senator.
🧪🌎

“Why Are We Funding This?”

Long-standing myths about “silly science” have contributed to the reckless slashing of government-supported research.

www.americanscientist.org

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Journal of Hymenoptera Research @jhr.pensoft.net · Jul 22

A study to document two separate introductions of European parasitoids of oak gall wasps into North America.

#wasps #alienspecies #parasitoids ‪ ‪ @lordforbington.bsky.social @kirstenmprior.bsky.social

doi.org/10.3897/jhr....

Discovery of two Palearctic Bootanomyia Girault (Hymenoptera, Megastigmidae) parasitic wasp species introduced to North America

Invasive species are among the greatest threats to ecosystems, but our ability to detect species introductions varies across taxa. Parasitoid wasps, though one of the most species-rich groups of all a...

doi.org

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.bsky.social · May 10

HAPPY 75th, NSF!

We’re celebrating this milestone by highlighting some of NSF’s most transformative accomplishments—innovations that have shaped our world and continue to drive progress in health, technology, the environment, and beyond.

Read on 🧵(1/11):

A chocolate cake with red and white decorations and lit candles shaped as the number 75. Bold text reads: ‘The NSF Turns 75 Today. What has it done over the past 7 decades?’ The background is a celebratory red with a spray-paint texture.

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Ecological Society of America @ecologicalsociety.bsky.social · May 5

We stand for science. ESA has signed on to an amicus brief filed by @ASBMB & other scientific societies in support of a lawsuit to restore cut research funding: esa.org/wp-content/u...

Read ASBMB's announcement: www.asbmb.org/advocacy/pos...

Two women scientists discuss cultures on a plate in a laboratory.

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · May 5

Julian defended his honors thesis in my lab—"Uncovering handling and nest benefits in an ant-mediated seed dispersal mutualism"—with interesting results suggesting that different mutualistic ant species may be "high-quality dispersers" but employ different strategies.

Harpur College at Binghamton University @harpurcollege.bsky.social · May 5

The Nature Preserve lies at the hub of Julian Marshall's Binghamton experience, shaping his choice of major, his research and even his social life. Learn more about this '25 grad: tinyurl.com/46yvwmb6

Biology major’s Binghamton experience roots in the natural world - Binghamton News

From his first visit, the campus Nature Preserve has shaped Julian Marshall’s research and more

tinyurl.com

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Leslie Rissler @ljrissler.bsky.social · May 3

SaveNSF is a coalition of concerned scientists and allies who are working to save funding for scientific grants through the NSF.

The mission is to support and advocate for the continuation of vital research and innovation.

Join: www.savensf.com

Home | Savensf

www.savensf.com

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · May 1

Rosebelle Ines leads a wildflower restoration project at Binghamton University and New York State Parks! - winning a fellowship from the Phipps Conservatory and a Provost's Sustainability Grant for this project www.binghamton.edu/news/story/5... @binghamtonu.bsky.social @harpurcollege.bsky.social

Project to restore native wildflowers in the forest understory - Binghamton News

Researchers are working in partnership with the NYS Parks Department

www.binghamton.edu

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · Apr 25

Congratulations to Catherine Farrell on her successful MS defense — on land use change impacts on forest arthropod communities! 🐜🌱🪲🕷️

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · Apr 19

Binghamton University students in the local news! Engaging the community in citizen science at the Ross Park Zoo! @binghamtonu.bsky.social @harpurcollege.bsky.social
www.wicz.com/news/bu-chal...

BU Challenges the Community to Document Local Wildlife

The "EcoBlitz" is an annual project at Binghamton University, hoping to gather information on the bio-diversity of the area's wildlife.

www.wicz.com

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Harpur College at Binghamton University @harpurcollege.bsky.social · Apr 16

The Ecoblitz is back! The citizen science event kicks off April 26 here on campus -- and there's an additional Ecoblitz going on at the Ross Park Zoo beginning April 18 and 19. Read more: tinyurl.com/4tevmk6k

The community is invited to study the natural world during the Ecoblitz - Binghamton News

The third annual event has expanded from campus to include the Ross Park Zoo

tinyurl.com

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Harpur College at Binghamton University @harpurcollege.bsky.social · Mar 27

Butterflies are disappearing at an alarming rate, according to new research by Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Eliza Grames. Populations in the U.S. fell by more than 20 percent since 2000. Read more: tinyurl.com/2presdd9

20% of butterflies in the U.S. have disappeared since 2000 - Binghamton News

According to new research featuring faculty at Binghamton University, butterflies are disappearing at an alarming rate.

tinyurl.com

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Terry McGlynn @hormiga.bsky.social · Mar 7

Imagine how much more healthy science would be if we hired and promoted faculty based on their mentorship, instead of merely counting pubs and grant dollars. 🧪

Academic hiring criteria are all wrong

The most important criteria are: mentorship, mentorship, and mentorship

scienceforeveryone.science

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · Feb 19

What a devastating loss. Thank you to the program officers and others who lost their jobs at NSF for your dedication to the science community and efforts toward advancing science.

Matthew Herron @matthewherron.bsky.social · Feb 19

I lost my job at the National Science Foundation yesterday, along with 167 of my colleagues, including some dear friends. This was the best job I've ever had, and I thought it would be my last. The PI community has been sympathetic and supportive, without exception. I will miss working for you.

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Sarah Hörst @planetdr.bsky.social · Feb 18

Professors please pull up a chair.

I’ve been talking to my classes about what has been going on. I explained indirect costs to them. I talked to them about what a probationary employee is in the government.

At the end of class they asked if we could talk about it more. (1/)

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Tomer J. Czaczkes @tomerczaczkes.bsky.social · Jan 29

My review of Cooperative Transport in Ants (and Elsewhere) has received it's 100th citation! To celebrate: cooperative transport media!

Oh, and of course a link to the paper:
myrmecologicalnews.org/cms/index.ph...

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Alex Wild @alexwild.bsky.social · Jan 28

Post the amazing science things you have done with federal funding.

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Reposted by Kirsten M. Prior

Heeyoung Kim - Botanical Artist & Instructor @brushwhisperer.bsky.social · Jan 7

“Dead” plant stuff hold food for birds during winter, when food is scarce. Galls such as this goldenrod gall have insect larvae in them. You can see who knows what to do … 😊. My tiny brush again 🤓.
#birdsinart #botanicalart #naturalhistoryart #SciArt #natureart #conservation #oneearth

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · Dec 2

Non-native slugs damage forest wildflower seeds, removing fleshy appendages necessary for dispersal by ants. New study led by Rosebelle Ines finds that slugs & ants prefer similar seeds. Yet, differences in foraging phenology dampen effects of slugs on seed dispersal by ants.
tinyurl.com/m86nh3x3

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · Nov 30

a woman in a blue dress is standing next to a large green monster .

ALT: a woman in a blue dress is standing next to a large green monster .

media.tenor.com

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Kirsten M. Prior @kirstenmprior.bsky.social · Nov 26

We work on biological invasions!

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